TR: A to the K

Although I have been in semi-retirement from TGR, I have been persistently nagged over the last couple weeks for pictures from a trip to AK in February. So, this TR is for all my naggers.

KB made his annual trip from the land of the rising sun, and was not about to have a repeat of last year, where he somehow got skunked by snow in Jackson. Since it has decided not to snow south of the 42 parallel this year, I met up with him in Seattle, with our new new plan being a tour up to Whistler, across to Revvy, Roger's Pass, Kicking Horse, Banff, Whitewater, and Red Mountain, throwing him on a plane in Spokane. Initially, our new new plan seemed to be very intelligent, as we hit the tail of the storm flow through the Cascades. Unfortunately, it then chose to go bluebird for the next 3 weeks. Which made for beautiful views:
And great skintrack scenery:
Along with bluebird pow:
But once we reached Canuckistan, we started getting concerned. While beautiful:
We were starting to feel lucky to get 3 centimeters on the snow report:
We did our best to overcome 1 cm snow reports:
But, seriously Whistler. 1 cm? Can't you spell Trace?
These powder levels were wholly unacceptable.
So, fuck it, Dude. Let's go bowling.
This turned out be a good decision.
There was storm skiing. Lots of storm skiing.
And then we woke up to sun.
When this is the snow report, you can be fairly certain that something good is about to happen.
This is something good happening (KB needs a red helmet):
By 4 pm, the mountain was totally tracked out. It really started to suck:
So we decided to stretch our legs...
There was powder to be had
And sprayed
Before heading back to the hut.
Where we found the powder goods.
Both while meadow skipping,
And when not so meadow skipping.
For all of you sick of the gray pictures with flat light, we heard a weather window might be coming, so it was time to pile into the truck and start driving...

We were not going to Fairbanks.
We arrived late at night. When I woke up in the morning, this was the view. I believe my exact words on encountering this view were: "What in the name of fuck is happening?"
The Brother even made it up for the special occasion. He did not forgot his poles, he just claimed he did not need poles while skinning. Until he borrowed my pole.
The views were ridiculous.
Just ridiculous.
And then it was time to ski.
I am still confused how The Brother monoskis sideways.
But he seemed to enjoy his new splitboard.
There were faceshots.
Lots of faceshots.
In fact, they all were faceshots.
Was it really this deep?
Yes.
Our only instructions to The Brother were to stay out of the chasm. Somewhat shockingly, The Brother did not ride or fall into the chasm.
KB with the clouds rolling in below.
The next day was -10, to so we decided to skin in the sun.
More ridiculous views:
Traversing wind-hammered sastrugi death crust, reliving boyhood memories of Colorado...
The Brother all hyped up like a spider monkey on Diet Mountain Dew:
But with the sunset came reports of a Blizzard Warning in Effect for Turnagain Pass, time to head out and chase that storm. Au revoir, but not goodbye Valdez,

There are no pictures from the next day with Wendigo, aka The Tasmanian Devil, at Alyeska destroying 28" of blower pow because it took everything in our being to just keep up with him, much less stop for pictures. Wendigo should not be allowed on chairlifts. After a day of recovery, we headed out for more pow and the occasional ray of sunshine.
If Wendigo were breaking trail, we fucking could have reached the moon.
Powder.
Tracks.
Alaska is good.
KB's helmet.
There is a lesson to be learned here. And that lesson is: If you can go to Alaska, you should always go directly to Alaska.

"The idea wasnt for me, that I would be the only one that would ever do this. My idea was that everybody should be doing this. At the time nobody was, but this was something thats too much fun to pass up." -Briggs

Originally Posted by LeeLau

Wear your climbing harness. Attach a big anodized locker to your belay loop so its in prime position to hit your nuts. Double russian Ti icescrews on your side loops positioned for maximal anal rape when you sit down. Then everyone will know your radness